


Not about the Christmas tree

by Lacerta



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers Tower, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree, Domestic Avengers, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Pining Tony, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28008984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacerta/pseuds/Lacerta
Summary: "Tomorrow, Tony," Steve clasps Tony's shoulder and smiles, and Tony melts a little bit and finds himself nodding before the words can fully register. "Meet me at ten, we're going to find us a perfect Christmas tree."
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 12
Kudos: 27
Collections: 2020 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange





	Not about the Christmas tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kickcows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/gifts).



> Happy holidays, kickcows! *sprinkles you with Christmas cheer and fluff*
> 
> Beta'd by [fundamentalBlue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fundamentalBlue/), big kudos~!

"No. I have people for that kind of shit," Tony protests. "No, Steve. I have money, I can pay for decorators; we'll have a perfectly Christmas-y decor here in a few days' time." He notices Steve's frown and amends, "Tomorrow morning then. We can have it ready by tomorrow morning. _Steve_."

" _Tony_. Christmas isn't about the ornaments, we're not having someone do them for us," Steve replies calmly and Tony realises that his chances of convincing Steve are dramatically low. He doesn't understand _why_ because–

"But you're the one who said we need to decorate! What are you on about?!" He looks around at the team, hoping to find voices of support, but instead he sees Nat's knowing smirk – what does she know _this time_ that Tony is missing? – and Clint just shrugs in a clear message of ‘you know how Cap gets, we're doing it, suck it up,’ which, not helpful. At all.

"Tomorrow, Tony," Steve clasps Tony's shoulder and smiles, and Tony melts a little bit and finds himself nodding before the words can fully register. "Meet me at ten, we're going to find us a perfect Christmas tree."

***

There are multiple reasons why this is a terrible idea. One, Tony's extremely recognisable and wherever he goes, the paparazzi follow. He put on a beanie and a jacket that doesn't _look_ that expensive to reduce the risk, but it's not the matter of if, it's a matter of _when_ he's going to be spotted.

Two, it's too fucking early. Tony stayed up till 7am in the lab drowning his anxiety with science until he crashed on the couch in his workspace for a couple of hours of fitful sleep. No amount of coffee makes waking up before noon worth it.

Three, he doesn't know a single thing about picking a Christmas tree. For his whole life the tree simply appeared in his apartment a few days before the holidays, decorated and looking like it came straight from a fancy magazine. He's never put any thought into it; he put money.

The list goes on, but in spite of all this, Tony's ready by the elevator a few minutes before 10 am, coffee in hand.

If he decided to ignore Steve's request, Steve wouldn't give up on the idea; he'd bother Tony until he gave in, or he'd go on his own and Tony would be facing his disappointed frown the whole next week. This way, at least Tony gets to spend some time with Steve without needing another fabricated reason, and he's quickly running out of ideas for those.

Since they agreed to start anew, to give each other a second chance, Tony's realised that Captain America is all he imagined him to be as a kid - courageous, protective, good-hearted – and more. No history books nor comics portrayed Steve Rogers as a little snarky shit with the sense of humour that Tony lov–

Anyway. Spending time with Steve is good enough a bonus to balance out the inconvenience. Being _smiled_ at by Steve when he shows up at 10 am sharp by the elevator and sees Tony waiting, is just the cherry on top.

***

Steve insists they take his bike. He claims it's more inconspicuous, and Tony wouldn't object even if it wasn't, in fact, the most reasonable choice. He spends the ride with his arms around Steve's chest; there are people who'd kill for the experience.

It seems that Steve did his research, because he weaves through traffic with purpose. They leave Manhattan, but after that Tony doesn't pay enough attention to track their route; his mind is occupied by the firm body he's pressed into (and half a dozen new ideas to try for Steve's next suit; he wonders if he can make it better fitted while keeping the durability). They stop by the market in what seems to be Brooklyn, and Tony smirks. He should've expected that.

The place is brimming with people. It's loud and there are trees everywhere. It's overwhelming. It’s more bearable when Steve takes his arm and gently leads him through the crowd.

"Tell me when you see something you like," he says into Tony's ear.

The market is too busy for people to pay attention to anything other than their own tree hunts, and Tony breathes easier after a few minutes without anyone sending him even a single second glance. Thankfully, the biggest trees aren't in as high demand; Tony soon notices a nice tree to their left. He tugs on Steve's sleeve.

"Hey, here's one."

They stop and Steve gives the tree a thorough look. "You think it's what we need?"

"Nice, even, tall and green," Tony shrugs. “What else is there to need?”

Suddenly, without any warning, Steve pulls him into his arms and Tony freezes in shock, but then feels branches of a carelessly carried tree swipe against his back and he blinks the confusion away.

"Uh, thanks?" he manages.

"Anytime," Steve smiles, as if saving Tony from being toppled down by someone's tree was something he did with great pleasure. Tony raises his eyebrows, about to tease him about it, but Steve's already leading him away from that perfect tree. "I think we should look some more, don't you?"

Tony doesn't, not really. He'd rather be done with it but he holds back a sigh and lets Steve drag him into the crowd again. Maybe fifty feet away from where they stopped, Tony snickers.

Steve's eyes are immediately on him. "What is it?" he asks over the noise around them.

"Nothing." Tony shakes his head but explains anyway. "See that tree, the one with a bit of red tape on the branches?" As soon as Steve nods, he continues, "It looks funny."

It really does: the branches are curvy instead of straight, the top is crooked and the trunk seems to have been broken at some point in the past before the tree's determination won against the misfortune.

"Do you like it?" Steve asks curiously, taking in its twisted shape. Tony shrugs again with a half-smile.

"It looks funny," he repeats, amused. "It's so big and ugly, I can't imagine who'd buy it."

Steve grins brightly and steps towards the vendor. "We'll take this one," he points at the monster of a tree and Tony groans.

"I said it _looks funny_ , not that– Steve!"

Steve doesn't listen, he chats away with this stranger while he wraps the tree for them. They agree on the price for both the crooked twig and the delivery, and when Steve gives him the address, the man's eyes go wide in recognition. Sighing, Tony steps in. Knowing Steve, he'd offer an autograph or two, or a dozen, and their blissful anonymity would be ruined. In a countermeasure, Tony hands the vendor a few more notes and with a pointed look thanks him for his cooperation. The man nods quickly, tucks the money in his pocket and, when Tony steers Steve away, wishes them a very merry Christmas.

When they're back by Steve's bike and the noise quiets down a bit, Tony frowns and gives into the urge to ask.

"Why did you buy that tree?!"

Steve hands him a helmet, beaming.

"It made you smile, didn't it?"

***

Steve and Tony took care of the Christmas tree shopping, Bruce is only coming back to the Tower on Christmas Eve, and Thor is off-world, which leaves Nat and Clint in charge of the other decorations. Tony's both relieved that it's not his duty and fearful of what the assassin twins come up with.

When he walks into the common room in the morning (or noon-ish, if one would want to be precise) a few days later, he stops in his tracks. Clint is hanging from the vents, head down, hanging the garland decorated with purple little–

"Are those arrows?"

"Yup!" Clint bends backwards to look at Tony, and it hurts to look at him so unnaturally twisted, so Tony uh-uhs and turns around. He sees Nat on a ladder by the crooked Christmas tree which still looks funny, and steps closer.

"Should I ask what these are?" He points at the box below her, full of paper fillings and shiny little balls.

"Hand-painted glass balls," Nat answers cheerfully as Tony picks one of them from the box. He's about to pass it to her to hang on the tree when he notices what's on it: a green, unshapely blob with purple pants. The Hulk? "Hand-painted by little kids from a children's home thankful for the support of Maria Stark's Foundation. They're really lovely," Nat adds with a warm smile.

He gives her the glass ball and steps away, tilting his head. The decorations already on the tree seem to be all hand-made, and while they're far from what Tony's accustomed to see in his home at Christmas, they look...

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

Tony yelps and spins around when he hears Steve's voice right behind him; he hadn't heard him come in. He has to look up to meet Steve's eyes.

"I guess?" he muses, and then teases, "Are your Christmas-y urges satisfied now?"

"Very much so," Steve agrees happily, refusing to take the bait. "See, it isn't about getting a perfect tree, or a photoshoot-ready decoration, it's about..."

"The Christmas cheer!" Clint calls from the ceiling.

"And doing things together," Steve adds with a smile.

"And sharing the joy," Nat says, holding a glass ball with what seems to be their whole team painted in detail with surprising skill.

Tony looks at the mismatched decorations, at the crooked Christmas tree, at his team around him, and he thinks he finally gets it. He nods slowly.

"It's about–"

"The tradition!" Clint chimes in with a grin of the Cheshire Cat, dropping to the floor. He points his chin at the ceiling above Tony, who looks up instinctively and—

"Oh, fuck you, Barton," he scoffs. He turns to Steve to explain that they don't have to do this, that the mistletoe is just for fun, but when he sees Steve's reddened cheeks and his – Tony can't be imagining this, surely – hopeful eyes, he just stares.

"If you...?" Steve starts, but his voice, soft and vulnerable, trails away. When he swallows, Tony's eyes fall to his Adam's apple, then move slowly up his throat and land on Steve's lips just as he licks them, and it's suddenly too much.

Tony stands on his toes, grabs Steve's shirt to pull him down, and when their lips meet, he doesn't even mind Barton's wolf-whistle or Natasha's laughter, because _Steve kisses him back_.


End file.
